Carving Out Memories
by themadgirlinthebluebox
Summary: "You're going to cut your arm off." "Listen." He said breezily, pointing at her. "My ancestors wielded swords for centuries. I think I can handle a knife." Or the one where Liam insists on making a family tradition out of carving pumpkins and Kathryn is less than amused. AU Futurefic


AN: This is the product of loving this time of year and missing The Royals. I was daydreaming about Liam and Kathryn spending the holidays together and this fic was born. It's a bit of a floating timeline but takes place after 04x10. It's pure fluff, please enjoy and let me know what you thought!

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"Please don't."

"Everything's going to be fine."

Kathryn simply rolled her eyes. "You're going to cut your arm off."

"Listen." He said breezily, pointing at her. "My ancestors wielded swords for centuries. I _think_ I can handle a knife."

"Don't point that at me. You're going to literally scar me and your child."

Liam shook his head and waved off her comment. "She's going to love Halloween just as much as I do."

A small smile pulled at her face. "Only because you're both children. What grown man carves a pumpkin?"

"This one." He gestured to himself, paying no mind to how close the knife got to his face. "My mum thought it was too messy for the palace when we were younger. It didn't help that the one time we did it Len and I ended up throwing the insides at each other. _Also_ , you were the one who wanted a pumpkin spice latte just yesterday. So you can't tell me you don't like pumpkins."

"That was a craving, I had no say in the matter." She huffed. "Like I said, you're an actual child. Who throws that at someone?"

"We were six thank you." He grunted as he forced the blade through the top. "You can't tell me you didn't like Halloween as a kid."

Kathryn just shrugged and watched as Liam tried to saw through the top of his pumpkin. "As a kid it was scary, and when I was older it was just an excuse for Angie and me to wear slutty costumes and get drunk. Christmas is far superior."

The prince paused just long enough to look up and raise an eyebrow. "See another reason that Halloween is the best. You in a slutty costume is never a bad thing."

She wadded up a page of newspaper that she had laid down and chucked it at him. "Pay attention so you don't slice off your finger."

With a hard tug, he managed to pry the top off."Ah ha! Now we're onto something. Babe, come help."

She sighed dramatically as she pushed herself out of her seat and joined him at the other end of the table. She was perfectly fine with just watching but his smile was hard to resist. Even though she wasn't into it, it was sweet to see him so excited, especially after the past few months.

"Put me to work." She rolled up her sleeves and tied back her hair.

Liam was already elbow deep and scooping out the insides. "Really, Halloween is the best holiday. There's chocolate and sweets and scary movies. And no family dinner, which has recently become a bonus. And I just discovered you can buy candy corn online. We went to America when we were kids and it was around this time of year. Robert and Len thought it was disgusting but it's actually the best thing ever invented."

"Well, I can't say I blame you for hating family dinners. The rest of it though, I offer you, candy canes, gingerbread, and Love Actually in exchange." She countered as she held the bag open for Liam. "All much better, less nightmare-inducing choices."

He placed some of the insides in the bag before diving back in. He feigned annoyance but his tone was light. "Just you wait, at the end of the month there's a haunted tour of the Tower of London. We're going. Sometimes being scared can be fun. They say it's haunted by the people who were held there."

"Didn't _your_ family lock people up there? I'm not judging, I'm just saying if I were a vengeful spirit and the descendant of the person who imprisoned me walked in I'd be pissed. I think we shouldn't tempt fate."

He chuckled at this and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "You're cute. Now get in here, this is a two person job."

"Liam," She groaned. "You asked me if I wanted my own pumpkin to carve and I said no. I said no because I don't want to help."

"Nope. It's a family tradition. I've decided that, right now." He took his free and clean arm and wrapped it around her, dragging her towards him. "Come on."

"I'm fine, really."

He pouted a bit. "But Kathryn, we're _carving_ out memories. Get it?"

"I can't stand you." She groaned and threw another wad of paper at his head. Clearly, he wasn't taking no for an answer so she excepted her fate. "When Christmas rolls around you don't get to say anything about the tree we get."

He held up his hand in a mock honor. "Now scoop."

Kathyrn plunged her hand inside the pumpkin and made a face. It was slimy, stringy and cold. "Jesus, the smell is awful."

"It smells like the best time of the year. Embrace it, savor it." He held open the bag for her. "Here."

When she pulled her hand out she took one look at the bright orange pulp and felt her stomach turn over. "Nope."

"Family tradition, Kathryn. Come on, you love it or at the very least you love me."

She snorted at this and her mouth twitched as she fought a smile. She rooted around the inside some more and removed another fistful of pulp, it landed in the bag with a wet squish. The smell wafted out from the pumpkin and the bag, she shook her head and swallowed hard.

"Yeah no. I can't do it."

"Don't be such a sore loser, Christmas will be here soon."

"I'm pregnant and this is morning sickness fuel." She cleared her throat and willed herself not to gag. "Holding the bag is fine but it's the texture of it that's making me sick."

Liam frowned. "I didn't think about that, I'm sorry."

She quickly shook her head and wiped her hand dry. "It's fine, it's the hormones. And the fact that the baby doesn't like Halloween. Just you wait, she is going to love Christmas."

They switched spots and Liam pressed his clean hand to the small bump that was forming under her shirt. "Don't listen to your mum, once you're done making her sick I'm going to win you over."

The soft fondness in his voice, combined with her hormones was enough to make her a bit teary-eyed but she just elbowed him. "Carve your damn pumpkin."

Liam got to work cleaning out the rest of it. As he worked, a memory made Kathryn laugh. It had happened just after they started seeing each other the first time.

"You know one time you wanted to watch a scary movie I thought you were just trying to make a move? You know, we watch a scary movie, you put an arm around me? But no, you were so focused on this movie while I covered my eyes."

This brought a grin to Liam's face, his eyes were bright. "Okay, it _was_ a move but I wanted to be subtle. But also that movie had just come out and I wanted to watch it."

"What a romantic."

He nodded to the hand that rested on her belly, the engagement ring wasn't hard to miss. "It worked didn't it?"

"If you say so. Although I'm second guessing it."

Liam didn't dignify this with a response and placed the top back on. "Halfway done! Do you want to draw the face?"

"No."

"Are you sure?" He teased. "I know you want to."

She kept her face straight. "I don't want to."

"Really?"

She held out her hand. "Give me the damn marker."

"I knew it."

Kathryn's eyebrows pulled together as she drew two triangle eyes, a small nose, and a large mouth. She humored him and smiled for a picture. She pushed it across the table so Liam could carve it. As much as she didn't want to admit it, it was endearing to see him so excited about something. It reminded her of how he used to be, before the attempted coup and before Robbie had basically ostracized him. He still had his titles and capital but he had been pretty much banished from the Palace. And once they got married, they would move out of London into one of his family's homes. But for now, she didn't have time to worry about that. Liam was recklessly slicing into the front of the pumpkin. The blade nearly cut his finger a few times.

"Don't get blood on it."

"It adds to the aesthetic, Kate. I'm an artist at work."

She kissed the top of his head. "You do that."

While Liam finished the final cuttings, she happily got rid of the newspapers and bag of pulp. When she came back into the kitchen she found him admiring his work and drying his hands.

"Satisfied?"

"Something's missing. I'm forgetting something."

She snapped her fingers and rooted around the kitchen before making him turn his back to her. She carefully tried not to burn herself as she placed a small candle inside. When she placed the top on again, she tapped his shoulder. He grinned right away.

"That's it. He's perfect."

"He?" She placed her hand on her hip.

"Jack." He said with a tone of finality. "His name is Jack."

She gave a long sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Jack the Jack o'Lantern?"

"What else would it be?"

"Just smile." She held up her phone. "Family tradition and all that."

Liam gave a smile as he held the pumpkin before placing it back on the table. He put his arm around her and let his fingers trace small circles onto her stomach. As they stood there she had to admit. It looked kind of nice as a centerpiece, not as nice as a Christmas one, but she'd let him have his moment.

"It's our first Halloween. Just think how fun it will be next year, the three of us spending time together." His voice had a daydreamy quality to it. "I'm glad we did this."

"I hate to admit it, but it looks kind of nice with the candle and everything." She let her hand settle on top of his before kissing him. "And it will be fun. We can dress the baby up as a pumpkin."

He turned to her, his tone was teasing. "I thought you didn't like Halloween."

"What can I say? It's growing on me."

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AN: This was just a silly little seasonal fic I wanted to write. I miss the Royals and Kiam so here we are. I'm probably going to write a Christmas Kiam oneshot too, so keep an eye out for that. Let me know what you thought! Happy Halloween, Loyals!


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